Project H

A mid-century house with an independent entrance, open-air garage, and front yard is an exceptionally rare find in Taipei City and a dream come true for space designers. When the designer opened the door to this opportunity, they were deeply captivated by the light streaming into the house from the rear atrium. It felt like a moment of resonance with the soul, with light and shadow crystallizing in their eyes. Creativity unfolded layer by layer along the beams of light, sketching the space's form in their mind.

This is a living space where a pet cat can freely roam through cascading light and shadows. The designer maximized the natural light flow within the house by utilizing the front and rear lighting advantages, creating an overall design that is soft and bright. Large windows were installed on the wall adjacent to the front yard, and upon entering from the foyer, the public areas such as the living room, dining room, and kitchen are defined by an earthy, low-saturation palette. During the flooring process using PANDOMO, the designer cleverly incorporated stone fragments in a corner of the foyer. When sunlight passes through the glass bricks, it creates a scene reminiscent of scattered stars on the ground. The designer further used stone flooring to subtly indicate the dining area, and the overall flexible, open design of the space allows the homeowner to freely adjust or introduce new decorations and collections. The gradual progression of visual layers creates a deep-framed view in the public space, with the light focusing on a touch of greenery visible at the end atrium.

The designer utilized raised oak flooring and a lowered ceiling to divide the three-dimensional space into two distinct interfaces. They also incorporated the concept of a Japanese engawa, with seamlessly laid wooden flooring creating a pathway that runs through the entire space, serving as a transitional area that blurs the boundary between public and private spaces. The natural wood patterns define the studio and bedroom areas, signaling a shift in function through the floor's design. Large windows in the studio allow ample daylight to illuminate the indoor plants by the window. The staircase-shaped light film design echoes the natural light from the rear atrium, creating intricate light and shadow effects when the lights are turned on at night.

By skillfully cutting through volumes, the continuity of the studio and bedroom is disrupted by horizontal and vertical partitions. The shadows cast by the light instantly reveal the tension of the facades. The light quietly entering the wood-toned master bedroom dances lightly through the space as time passes. The vertical gap along the floor becomes a path for the cat to move freely. In the bathroom, the gradient gray-green hues inspired by Morandi are created by the light filtering through variously sized openings in the walls. The curved surfaces in the shower area exhibit interesting expressions due to the interplay of natural and artificial light sources. To accommodate the homeowner's preference for falling asleep in dim light, the designer intentionally used a perforated grid sliding door for the dressing room to allow soft, muted light to filter through. The night light from the glass bricks outside passes through the door, bringing a subtle touch of the outside world into the tranquil indoor space.

Project H features elements that pay homage to Italian designer Carlo Scarpa, from the stone-carved fish pond at the entrance, the stone-carved door frame in the foyer, to the oak ceiling inside the house, all seamlessly integrated into the space. The designer internalized and elevated their appreciation for design, using the flow of light and shadow as a means of refinement. They harmonized these elements within a vessel marked by the passage of time, achieving recognition and resonance through communication. This ultimately created a sense of poetry and comfort within the space.

Design Studio | Chūxiàng Design  Facebook  @chuxiangdesign

Photography | MD Pursuit @md.pursuit